


Moonshot

by lawsofchaos



Category: Descendants (Disney Movies)
Genre: Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil as Found Family, Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse, No beta we die like mne, United States of Auradon (Disney) Is Not Perfect
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-01-07
Updated: 2020-01-07
Packaged: 2021-02-27 05:13:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22161604
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lawsofchaos/pseuds/lawsofchaos
Summary: “You made me promise to steal the wand, mother, but you never made me Promise to give it toyou,” Mal snarls in mingled defiance and fury. She is fae and she isfreeand that meansno onecan make her do what she did not Promise.
Relationships: Ben & Mal (Disney: Descendants), Evie & Jay & Mal & Carlos de Vil
Comments: 37
Kudos: 440





	Moonshot

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [Korë](https://archiveofourown.org/works/20123875) by [TheHarleyQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheHarleyQueen/pseuds/TheHarleyQueen). 



Maleficent stands victorious in the aisle of the Auradon cathedral, its inhabitants frozen around her and dark glee twisting her fae beauty into a grotesque parody of a smile. So sure is she of her power that the Mistress of All Evil takes no notice of three figures mixed into the crowd, marked carefully with runes sealed in the blood of a fae and not caught in her spell.

Maleficent holds out an expectant hand to her daughter, the Fairy Godmother’s wand clenched tightly in Mal’s grasp. “Give it to me, child, and Auradon will finally be conquered- the Isle will be our prison no more!”

Mal doesn’t know what first gives her mother pause, but it’s only fractions of a second after her demand that Maleficent’s poison green eyes narrow in suspicion. “You will give it to me, Malady,” she hisses, “as you _Promised_ me.”

And Mal’s breath stutters in memory of the pain and terror of her mother forcing her to Promise to steal the wand and give it away. Promises are not won easily from fae and Mal was born on the Isle. She is tougher than most. Mal has taken the wand, but she cannot keep it. Maleficent would never risk her daughter refusing her its power.

However, Mal and Carlos and Evie and Jay have come to love Auradon and her people, and they are united in their desire to never see them kneel to Maleficent. And Mal’s mother had made one, single, critical error when forcing a Promise from her daughter’s lips.

Mal’s heart is racing, throbbing heavily in her chest as it struggles to pump blood to her leaden limbs, the weight of the Promise an electric-fizz singing painfully down her nerves. Her lips are numb and there’s a metallic taste under her tongue and she doesn’t know if the blood tinting her sudden smile is from the surge of _magic-lightning-power_ when she first took the wand in her hand or if she’s bitten through her tongue without knowing.

“You made me promise to steal the wand, mother, but you never made me Promise to give it to _you,”_ Mal snarls in mingled defiance and fury. She is fae and she is _free_ and that means _no one_ can make her do what she did not Promise.

Jay and Evie and Carlos are ringed around her now, their stealthy movements having finally brought them close enough for their plan to work, and Evie’s beautiful crimson smirk belies the wrath in her eyes as she focuses on Maleficent. Evie’s hands are lithely twisting and tying a strand of embroidery floss taken from her gown, her powers more subtle than a fae’s, but no less strong for all their reliance on external objects. Magic rises up at the command of the thread witch, the knots in her string binding the Mistress of All Evil where she stands. It won’t last long, but Evie has been learning at the knee of her mother since birth and Mal has been whispering secrets in her ear for nearly as long. A single strand of Evie’s thread has been dipped in powdered iron. For now, it will hold.

And so Mal turns to the dais, dizzy with the increasing electric-thrum of _finish-finish-finish_ pounding under her sternum. Maleficent’s screams of livid disbelief at her daughter’s inconceivable rebellion ring through the stone cathedral, and every gaze is upon her back except the three that matter most. Jay and Evie and Carlos dare not take their eyes from Maleficent until Mal’s Promise is complete.

Ben and the Fairy Godmother alone remain standing in front of her, the King and Queen having been flung aside at some point since Jane’s disruption of the not-yet coronation.

Ben is looking straight at her and even frozen under her mother’s spell, his gaze reminds Mal of strawberries and sunshine and clean beds and parents that _love_ their children, and Mal simply can’t contemplate an Auradon that becomes an extension of the Isle.

And so Mal takes a final shaky breath, her fingers tightening on the power-drenched wood of the Fairy wand, and she sinks to her knees in front of the Crown Prince of Auradon. Her mother’s screams become shrieks of wordless madness, but Mal takes no mind.

She raises the wand in front of her with both hands and takes a deep breath. The wand has claimed her as she has claimed it, something Mal had never imagined possible (how could this symbol of Goodness accept _her_?), and this changes everything. She can feel the Old Magic coursing through her veins as she prepares to speak.

“I, Mal, fae of the Isle of the Lost, Surrender this wand and its magic to you, Crown Prince Benjamin of the United Kingdoms of Auradon.”

And Mal has to stop for a moment as the Old Magic in her veins screams in recognition at the start of her formal Surrender. If the wand had not claimed her, this wouldn’t be happening, but the wand did and it is. If Mal’s Surrender is accepted, her own magic will be bound in this promise, _she_ will be bound in this promise. To harm Ben will be death and to disobey a true Command from him made to her Name will be the same. She could never make this oath to Auradon or to his parents or to any other, but for Ben and Ben alone, she thinks she can trust enough to do this.

“This I swear by my True Name,” and the Old Magic wraps around her words in this oath and she knows that no ear but Ben can hear her finish, “Malady Malora Raven.”

And Ben pauses, for even those of Auradon know the power given by the knowledge of a fae’s True Name, and he swallows in shock. But, he is the Crown Prince and his people are in peril and, behind Mal, Evie is slowly sinking to her knees from the strain of containing the Mistress of All Evil.

“I accept your Surrender, Malady Malora Raven, fae of the Isle of the Lost," and the Old Magic guards his words too, for she has Surrendered to him and not to all of Auradon, "and I give you leave to use the magic of the wand both in defense of the Crown and at your own discretion.”

And Mal jerks her head up in shock, for Ben has not Commanded this of her, as is his right, but has requested this, and he has not restricted her magic use to Auradon’s defense, as is his right, but has just given her free reign without any restrictions bar those she has put upon herself by her own Surrender.

She grins bloodily, showing far too many teeth for Auradon society as magic sings through her veins and relief pounds in her heart, turning to face her mother just as Evie’s containment breaks. Joy and freedom fill her - she has trusted _well -_ and her magic and that of the wand combine to surge forward in defense of _her_ people. Jay and Evie and Carlos have _always_ been hers, of course, but now, _Auradon_ is hers too.

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first work in the Disney fandom- hope y'all enjoy! I got bitten by a plot bug while reading Kore by TheHarleyQueen - speaking of, go read it if you haven't already!! It's linked as the inspiring fic! She had a line in there ("She did. She Promised she’d steal the wand. And she has. But she never promised to give it to her mother.") that just took my imagination by storm and this whole ficlet was built around it. 
> 
> Long story short, I ended up writing this in about two hours (while I was supposed to be working - oops!). 
> 
> If you want to hear me yell about fandom and post plot bunnies, come chat with me on Twitter @ lawsofchaos1.
> 
> Kudos are beloved, but comments make my day! <3


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